<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Above and beyond {DISCONTINUED} by Thatlassinquarantine</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28319586">Above and beyond {DISCONTINUED}</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thatlassinquarantine/pseuds/Thatlassinquarantine'>Thatlassinquarantine</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Winx Club</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, F/M, this will be edited overtime</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 16:42:41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,728</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28319586</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thatlassinquarantine/pseuds/Thatlassinquarantine</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>She'll never get used to this. Her feet leaving the ground beneath her. Her hair being played with by the wind. Magic flowing through her veins. And her wings lifting her off the ground. Carrying her high above the trees. And above and beyond her own expectations.</p><p>Winx Club rewrite, criticism welcomed</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Mike/Vanessa (Winx Club)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Above and beyond {DISCONTINUED}</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>We'll see how this one does. If its bad I'll just post bulletpoints of each episode overtime.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The door slightly creaked when it was opened. While the inside of the room was dark, the middle-aged woman could recognise basic shapes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She walked past the art table and across the small rug. She now stood in front of a bed. In it layed a redheaded girl, whose left side of face was buried in a book that she probably read the night before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bloom, </span>
  <em>
    <span>signorina</span>
  </em>
  <span>, time to get up”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The girl's eyes slightly opened only to see her mother standing above her, before looking at the clock on the wall opposite of her. She felt absolute terror when she realised what time it was. She was immediately jumping out of the bed and going right to her closet, where she began pulling out clothes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then she turned to the woman behind her, who was smirking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ma</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” she said in a tired annoyed voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But you fell for it didn’t you?” the woman said with a grin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sleepy. I’m going back to bed.” the girl said as she sneaked her way back to bed and covered herself up with her duvet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The woman shook her head before she walked over to the window and opened the curtains, letting light inside the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The girl groaned and covered her face with her hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Ma</span>
  </em>
  <span>, let me sleep for five more minutes."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You promised you were going to learn how to get up early." the middle aged tan skinned woman said, before bending down to a rabbit cage, beneath the window, opening the small door. Immediately, a grey and white piece of fluff jumped out of it and ran straight to the girls bed. When Bloom uncovered her face she was met with the feeling of whiskers on her cheeks. She giggled and petted the bunny that came to greet her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>You should try going to bed earlier, you know. You were up really late last night.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was reading…” she murmured and passed her the hardback book that she slept with her head on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fairies: Mythos or reality. Aren’t you too old for this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“One is never too old for Martin Carroll!” she said in a very dramatic voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, alright.” The woman said as she put the book on the shelf “Dad is going to work soon, so come down stairs for breakfast.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With that she turned around and walked out of the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She slowly got up from her bed, put on her clothes and then walked out the door, heading for the bathroom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Kiko, come on" she called to the rabbit, who came running after her. The bathroom is a small room, mostly in blue colours. There was a bathtub with a curtain, a cabinet with a mirror above the tap and a small washing machine. Bloom stepped towards the tap. She looked up and saw her freckled face in the mirror, surrounded by bright red hair. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>While she was brushing her teeth, she looked down at Kiko, chewing on a piece of cardboard, that he found laying somewhere. His head snapped towards her knowing she was looking at him and slowly dropped the piece on the ground, not breaking eye contact. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kiko, I don’t have the memory span of a goldfish, I saw you and you know it.” Bloom told the bunny, who, at least according to her, knew pretty much the same.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now come on, let’s go see dad, before he goes to work.” she said as she turned off the tap and walked out of the bathroom, heading for the stairs, with the rabbit at her wake.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>From the landing in the middle of the stairs she could see the living room. It had pale yellow walls. She walked down and headed for the door leading to a room, from which a radio could be heard. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When she walked between the couch and the small table, she looked up at the painting of a flower field she made for her mother when she turned forty years old. Vanessa treated it like a treasure.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The room was light orange in color, being a kitchen and dining room in one, a short wall being the only thing separating them. A man in grey fireman uniform was sitting at the table, eating a toast and reading newspapers, but when she walked in, he looked at her and smiled “Good morning, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Bolloom</span>
  </em>
  <span>”.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mornin’, dad” she said as she sat down on a chair next to her father. Kiko went almost immediately to the man, who had begun scratching the rabbit behind his ears. Her mother came a few seconds later with the girl’s favorite cup full of black tea.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks, mom.” she said as she took the mug from her mothers hands. Then she turned to her father “So when are you leaving?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mike has looked away from Kiko and at the clock. “In ten minutes”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I plan on heading for the forest. I have to try out the new bike” she said before taking another sip of her tea “I found this really nice place, that would make for a great painting.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought that you had already walked the woods through and through?” Vanessa has asked her daughter, in a slightly teasing manner. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She is right. Bloom does spend a lot of time there “Apparently I didn’t. It’s near the clearing in the middle.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright but you’ll be back for lunch. And since you’re taking your bike you’ll take your helmet too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And take something to eat and water” her mother said before she drank from her cup of coffee “And your phone. If something happens.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The rest of breakfast was silent for most, except for the radio. Today was supposed to be sunny and there will be the weekly market on town square and in the evening there will be a small firework show. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Bloom had finished her breakfast, she walked into the kitchen part of the room, washed her mug, left it to dry and grabbed an apple from the bowl on the breakfast bar.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then she left the kitchen, went to the living room and used the stairs to get to her room. She opened the lowest drawer, where her canvases were stored and took out a canvas the size of A4 paper. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then she opened the top drawer, filled with paints, brushes and pallets. She took a bunch of paints of all colors, mostly greens and browns, about ten brushes and a single pallet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>From the top of the table she took a small pencil case.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She wanted to sketch the place and if she had enough time, begin painting the thing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She put all these things and the apple she took in the kitchen into a backpack she keeps next to the desk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She then went downstairs to the living room, but instead of going to the kitchen she went to the hall, where she took her shoes, phone and keys.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When she arrived at the kitchen her parents were still eating. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was ready to put her shoes on and walk out the door when her mother said “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Cara</span>
  </em>
  <span>, you are going to paint, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And can I ask you what you’re going to use to paint?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you mean by wha - oh.” Bloom came to a realisation. She didn’t take the water.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She went over to the cupboards and took out a jar. She then filled it up with water, placed a lid on top and put it in her backpack. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She walked over to her parents. “I’ll stop at the market before I’ll come home. You guys want something?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If mister Genaro is there, get me some of his apples. If he is not then nothing.” Mike said before going to the kitchen to wash his plate and cup.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ma</span>
  </em>
  <span>?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think I need anything, just make sure you’re careful, alright?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know, don’t worry.” Bloom said. She bent down and gave her mother a quick kiss on her cheek. “Bye dad.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bye sunshine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bloom walked out the back door and as she was closing the door behind her, Kiko ran through the crack, almost getting his leg shut in in the process.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, so you’re coming with me?” she said to the rabbit. The bunny looked at her, seemingly understanding the question and heading towards the door next to where they just came from.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She unlocked the door and opened it. Inside was full of gardening tools that they used in their small garden, three bikes and a few bike equipment. Her new bike was red in color and had a bicycle basket.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She pulled it outside of the storage room. Kiko walked over to her side and stood down on his back legs, wanting to be picked up. Bloom obliged, lifting up the bunny and putting him into the basket.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She took the bike through their property to the gate leading into the street. When she got outside she closed the gate behind her, put the helmet on her head, mounted the bike and began paddling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As they slowly gained speed, Kiko’s head popped out of the basket and he was looking in front of him, enjoying the view.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After three blocks Bloom turned right, heading for the forest trail leading to her desired spot three kilometres ahead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bloom has seen five or six hikers walking alongside the road. Bloom hoped they would go on one of the other trails so they wouldn't disturb her art process.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She noticed another road joining the main route. She slowed down a little in case someone would enter the main road.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In a flash a scooter came in right in front of her bike. Her brakes screeched as she almost collided with the person in front of her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The biker's helmet turned towards her. Bloom’s eyes widened and she felt her hands tighten around the handlebars.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The scooter in front of her came to a full stop on the side of the road and while Bloom was thinking of simply heading down the road considering nothing had happened, she stopped too, knowing that the biker could easily catch up with her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The biker took off the helmet, revealing long black hair. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Ciao</span>
  </em>
  <span> Bloom!” said the girl with a snark.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi Mitzi.” Bloom said in a clearly uncomfortable voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not speaking italian today are you? I see you have a new bike, and are still the same old loser.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks for the compliments, I am honored, gotta go now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not so fast,” she said as she grabbed the handlebar of her bike, keeping the redhead from leaving “Heard you and Selina don’t talk anymore. Is that true?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, we stopped hanging out half a year ago. Great social skills.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aw, does that mean you have no friends anymore?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bloom didn’t answer. She knew if she did Mitzi would only continue mocking her. And she was right. Except for Selina she didn’t really have friends. In fact for the past six months all she did was go to school and then back home.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, so I’m right. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Pietosa</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” she let go of the handlebar and put on her helmet. “My friends are waiting for me. Enjoy the rest of your life alone with that little vermin!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then she started the scooter and sped off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bloom felt like she was going to cry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kiko, noticing something was wrong, turned around and made a squeak, turning Bloom’s attention to him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry, I’m okay.” she said before scratching the bunny behind his ears.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stayed at the side of the road just breathing in and out and after seeing the hikers from before about fifty metres from her, she stepped on the pedal and began riding to the forest trail.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They rode for a minute or two before they arrived at the side trail. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was a very unkempt road, full of twigs and stones, so it was a little bumpy. Bloom hoped that the bike wouldn't slip on something slick. The crash could be rather nasty.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The trail slowly evened out, following a stream on its left. Bloom could smell the forest around her. The damp moss around and pine needles on the ground had a very calming odor. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The trail has come to a split, a side road on the right heading away from the brook. Bloom made the turn. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>About 20 metres from where the road began, the bike stopped and Bloom leaned her bike against a nearby tree.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her eyes fell on the sight before her. The trail went through birches and oaks, patches of purple and white flowers and at the very end a beam of light descending through the trees was giving the entire scenery a fairy tale like look. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bloom loved sceneries like this. It seemed like something straight out of her imagination, but yet something that she would not be capable of constructing herself in her wildest dreams.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kiko has not seemed to have the same astonishment in the road as she was. Instead he took greater interest in the deeper woods, his ears twitching in its direction. He hopped his way through undergrowth before turning his head towards Bloom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can go just make sure not to wander too far.” she said her dear companion. The rabbit then continued in pursuit of whatever he heard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bloom tried to find the best angle to begin drawing her work, before settling on simply sitting in the middle of the road, overlooking a bunch of young oaks and a singular birch with few small bushes in front of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She took out her canvas and pencil and began sketching out the sight standing before her eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her mind always stopped registering what was happening around her when she was giving her full attention to her art. Her hand making confident moves, capturing all the little details her eyes could see. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>After what couldn’t be less than ten minutes, she had her work laid out on her canvas.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stretched out her arms and back. She needed a little pause to get a good idea of how she wanted to go about the painting. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She closed her eyes and tried listening to the sounds around her to relax. It was very quiet. Too quiet as a matter of facts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bloom’s eyes shot open. Except for the occasional rustle of the trees and the distant sound of the brook babbling, she didn’t hear a thing. There was no bird chirping, no bee flying around, no cricket chirring. Nothing. Not a single thing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A loud snapping sound came from the woods, followed by rustling in the thicket near her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kiko came running onto the trail and then straight to her side, where he laid down. His little body crouched and his ears very close to his head, his breathing heavy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey Bun” Bloom said in a comforting manner, petting her fluffed up bunny on his back “What spooked you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kiko was pretty bold for a bunny. He didn’t fear dogs nor cats. There weren’t many things that scared him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a loud crash of a falling tree, the answer became very clear to her. But that was not the only thing she heard. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It sounded like someone was arguing. But she couldn’t recognise the words.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A roar like she never heard before, sounded through the forest. She felt Kiko get himself even closer to her and his breathing got heavier. And so did hers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The yelling intensified, but she still couldn't recognise a single word. She could however recognise that it sounded vaguely like a woman.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Was someone arguing with a bear? The roar sounded a little like a bear, but it was deeper. A lot deeper. And bears don’t really live here and even if most of them fear people. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bloom felt something move in her. She had to see if this person was okay and if they needed help. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She left the path and walked into the woods, Kiko following right behind her, squeaking at her and thumping his leg. He did not want her to go there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The deeper she was in the forest, the louder the yelling got. She could recognise the words better now. The voice was yelling something about ‘staying away or she’ll use the full power of her magic’. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bloom stopped dead in her tracks. What? Magic? Her imagination could run wild and create some odd scenarios without any issue, but this was too much. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She continued in her walk. Maybe she was really just hearing things, she heard that sometimes the brain will alter what it hears when one is scared. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The yelling went further away after that and she couldn’t comprehend anything once more. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She saw the tree, she heard falling from before. It was a big beech, it could have at least a meter in diameter. And it appeared to be healthy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She arrived at the small clearing that she had found last time she was here. She could see the stump of the now fallen tree, but it was too far away from where the beech layed. There was no way it fell on its own. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bloom got closer to the clearing and hid herself behind a tree covered in moss.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sight in front of her seemed normal. At first. Then out of the corner she saw something fly above the trees and land right before her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The entire thing seemed to be enveloped in light of some sorts, the only thing Bloom could see was the silhouette.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Whatever it was it had a big set of wings, that created a powerful gust of wind as the creature flapped with them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At first she thought it was a really big swan, but the wings resembled a dove a lot more. But they were too big for that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then she noticed that this being was clad in a robe. No shoes. The shape heavily resembled a woman or a girl. From what she could make out she was also holding a scepter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Was that an angel? An alien?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A low guttural growl erupted somewhere from before the winged being. The creator of this noise was not something Bloom really knew what to make of.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was tall, maybe 2 metres and a half. Its shape wagly resembled a man, but it was off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Its skin muddy yellow in color and looked hard as stone. Small eyes sat deep in its skull, no eyebrows above them, right between them a big nose. Its mouth was full of gruesome teeth. Its chin covered in bristly hair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wore something very similar to a track suit, it’s feet bootless. Hairy big arms with large blunt hands. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It gave out a deep growl, making Kiko flinch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your snarling doesn’t scare me, you wretched beast. Leave at this instance!” the silhouette in front of Bloom screamed. The voice was definitely of a woman.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That’s when this ‘beast’ charged. For how big it was, it was fast. It knocked the winged woman to the ground, right in the thickets near where Bloom was hiding.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The figure groaned in pain. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The light was no longer fully enveloping her. Bloom could now see that this was a girl. A girl no older than her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kiko has whimpered at the sight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The girl snapped her head to the left side looking directly at her and Kiko. Her amber eyes are full of confusion and fear. Her long hair loose, headband, resembling a laurel wreath made of metal, keeping them from falling into her eyes, were now disheveled. Her breathing was heavy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The monster was now coming closer with his steps shaking the trees. Bloom made a split second decision. This thing would tear the girl next to her apart with its bare hands. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bloom grabbed a rock near her. The girl trying to get up from the thickets was about to protest, but Bloom had already made up her mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stepped to the left from behind the tree, the brutish creature noticing her. She threw the rock directly at its head, hitting its nose.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The force of the hit turned the monster’s head aside and after a fraction of a moment, it turned its attention towards the one who had harmed it. Blood falling from its nose and down into its mouth. Even though its eyes watered thanks to the impact Bloom was scared out of her mind. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It roared before swiping its huge hand at her, hitting the tree she was hiding behind before. The trunk shattered at the impact, giving Bloom an idea of what will happen to her if this thing manages to hit her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Realising its mistake, the monster charged towards Bloom. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Redhead has hid her head behind her arms and closed her eyes, bracing herself for the impact she would soon feel on them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The monster has grabbed her left arm for a split of a second, before letting go of it, screeching in pain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bloom had no idea what was happening, but then she felt. Her hands were warm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She opened her eyes and saw her hands, enveloped in bright orange flames.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was petrified. What on Earth was this?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She heard rumbling in front of her and when she looked up she saw that ‘troll’ marching towards her with a tree trunk in its hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It raised the tree above its head and was ready to beat her into the ground with it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, ogre!” a voice from above yelled. A scepter has bashed the monster into its down jaw, sending it stumbling backwards. The winged girl landed between Bloom and the beast. “Only returning the compliments, </span>
  <em>
    <span>vdelyrós</span>
  </em>
  <span>!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With that she swiped with her scepter, sending out a ray of light sending the ogre flying into the trees.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The monster groaned, shook its head and when it saw it would clearly not win this fight, it clenched its teeth and clapped three times with its hands. It was surrounded by purplish smoke and in a flash it was gone. Like it disappeared into thin air.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bloom let out a shaky breath, sat down and looked at her hands. The fire did not harm her, it was just warming her a little and that’s it. No burns. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I think he is gone.” said the winged girl walking towards her. Bloom realized that she had some accent, but she couldn’t quite tell what it was. Greek perhaps?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you understand the language I am speaking?” she said in a very slow voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bloom felt that all the adrenalin that was in her body thanks to the stress was loosening its influence on her and the weight of the situation dawned on her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Y-Yes. What is going on? What are you?! Who are you?! How did you get here?! What was that thing?! And why are my hands on fire?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, so this happened to you for the first time? Just concentrate on your hands, breathe and it will go away.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, just do it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bloom looked at her hands intently, watching the flames rising from her skin, changing shapes and color from darker orange to amber. It was actually quite cool, now that she had time to look at it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The flames slowly got smaller and smaller until there were only small on her fingertips which were blown out by a small gust of wind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bloom could now see the girl in front of her clearly. She had a dress that looked pretty much like a version of a greek dress that she has seen in a history book once, but it was light orange instead of white. The robe was only across her right shoulder and beneath she saw something gold glitter. She really had no shoes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>In her right hand was a scepter. It was light metal blue. On its top sat a golden sun with eight rays and it’s middle was a floating disk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The girl in front of her put hands to an x shape and suddenly her white wings were gone. Her long robe exchanged for a green tunic and mid length orange skirt adorned with a belt, which had some carvings Bloom didn’t really recognise. Her feet now had sandals on them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her staff had suddenly given out a quick pulse of light, changing its shape, until it was right in the blondes palm. It turned itself into a ring, which she put on her right index finger.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The girl sat down in front of the redhead and extended her hand towards her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m Stella Urseus Solis, princess of Solária.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bloom was dumbfounded. A princess? Her expensive looking headband sure meant she was wealthy, but royalty?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She reluctantly grabbed her hand and shook it “Bloom Peters, glad to meet you, your highness”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The blonde has gigled “Stella is fine, no need to be formal. Which Realm is this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Realm?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Stella frowned “Don’t tell me I’m on Earth.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bloom didn’t say a thing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The blonde huffed “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Megálos.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She fell back on the grass, covered her face with her hands and mumbled something in a language Bloom couldn’t recognise. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sat back up and looked at Bloom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you have something with you? I feel dizzy.” Stella said, Bloom only now noticing how pale she seemed. She didn’t look like this a moment ago.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You mean water? I have some in my bag on-” Bloom stopped, she left it at the trail “I’ll be right back, just hold on a moment!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With that, the redhead has set off back to the trail, going through the bracken as fast as she could, passing near the torn out tree.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When she got back to the trail, she was covered in sweat, her face all red.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bloom began going through her backpack before she found the water jar. Not the best drink for royalty but she doesn’t have anything else.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She slung the entire rucksack on her back and strided back to the place where she left Stella. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As she walked she noticed she could hear noises around her again, as a pair of birds flew above the treetops.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She found the blonde still laying on the ground, her hands squeezing her head. Kiko was sitting near her, looking directly at the princess.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your companion is fairly annoying,” the laying girl mustered, “he keeps staring at me. And he tried to eat my hair.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah he does that to me too from time to time. Here. I hope you don’t get food poisoning” with that she passed her the now opened jar.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Stella has prompted herself up on her elbows and taken a sip from the container.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Feels like drinking heavily watered down paint but I don’t think this will send me to </span>
  <em>
    <span>Hades </span>
  </em>
  <span>yet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hades? So she is greek. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How did you even get here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s a good question. I guess it was when I was teleporting on Solária to Magix and while doing that, that smelly ogre decided to charge at me and I messed up the incantation. And now I am here in… Where am I?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So she isn’t greek “You’re in Italy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, thank you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess those wings and outfit changes weren’t special effects?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Special effects? Like in those movies you Earthans make? No, that’s just how us Fae work.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fae?” Bloom asked with notable confusion in her voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, don’t tell me you never hea-” Stella grabbed her head “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Skata</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I take it back, I am probably going to </span>
  <em>
    <span>Hades</span>
  </em>
  <span> already.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Should I call the ambulance?!” Bloom yelped out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“NO! It’s already bad enough you know I’m here. It’s just a little head spin. Could you call someone who won’t, who won’t..” her head fell back onto the ground, her eyes closed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stella?” Bloom reached out and shook the blond’s shoulder. No reaction. “Crap.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The redhead has begun rummaging through the front pocket of her bag before finding it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There were six missed calls from her mom. Then she saw the time. It was four.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>How? Did Stella create some sort of time loop?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mom is going to kill us, Kiko.” Bloom said as she started to dial her mother’s number.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She heard the dialing stop and was met with silence, Vanessa obviously waiting on the other side for her daughter to explain herself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey mom. Before you kill me through the phone, I need help. Can you come pick me up?”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>